Frame for fanning out writing-paper



2 Sheets-Sheet l.

(No Model.)

J. C. OLIVER.

FRAME POR PANNING OUT WRITING PAPER, ENVELOPES, GARDS, 6m.

Patented May' 28 1889.

WIT/VESSES:

n. Pains. mmm/mph wnmngm. n. a

(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

J. C. OLIVER.

FRAME POR FANNING OUT WRITING PAPER, ENVELOPES, CARDS, &c. No. 404,104. Patented May 28,` 1889.`

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JAMES C. OLIVER, OF BERGEN POINT, NEI/V JERSEY.

FRAME FOR FANNING 0UT WRITlNG-PAPER, ENVELOPES, CARDS, &c.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 404,104, dated May 28, 1889.

Application filed March 9, 1888. Sen'al No. 266,719. (No model.)

To LZZ whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, JAMES C. OLIVER, of Bergen Point, in the county of Hudson and State of New Jersey, have invented a new and Improved Frame for Fanning Out Writing- Paper, Envelopes, Cards, dac., of which the followingisa full, clear, and exact description.

This invention relates to what is known as fanning out writing-paper, envelopes, cards, zc., and has for its object to provide a device which will obviate the necessity of skilled labor, and by means of which the work will be done with accuracy and in a superior manner.

The invent-ion consists in a frame for this purpose constructed and arranged as hereinafter described and claimed.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in which similar iigures of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the views.

Figure l -is a plan view of the invention with tanned envelope-blanks in position. Fig. 2 is a horizontal section thereof on line Fig. l. Fig. 3 is a plan view of the in` vention with envelopes in tanned position, and Fig. 4 is a horizontal section on the line y y, Fig. 3.

In putting black 0r colored borders on writing-paper, envelopes, cards, &c.,it is customary to take a pile of sheets of letter-paper, envelope-blanks, or cards, and by means of a tool in the shape of a stick, and called a folderf to push out the edges of the sheets, blanks, or cards until they overlap sufliciently to leave a series of border-spaces of the size required to be blacked or colored. This work is done rapidly by hand, but requires skilled labor, and is imperfect, as the size of the border-spaces laid out depend upon the eye of the operator, and are not accurate or uniform. To overcome these objections, and to dispense with skilled labor, I have provided the following device.

l indicates a bottom or base board of suitable width and length, having side strips, 2, secured thereto. Upon the side strips, 2, are fastened strips 3, having on their inner edges a series of equally-spaced notches, 4, and on their top a line of equally-spaced short pins or pegs, 5, extending slightly above the strips 3, so that a set of fann ed envelope-blanks may rest on top of the pins with their edges on one side engaging the pins, as shown in Fig. i. The strips 3 are adjustable laterally on the strips 2 by the fastening-screws 6 and a series of screw-holes, 7. The space between the strips 2 3 is lled with a removable board, 8, the upper surface of which is even with the surface of the strips 3, or with a board, 9, which is interchangeable with board 8, and which has its upper surface even with the top of strips 2.

The use of the device will now be described.

If it is desired to fan out envelopes, the base-board l being secured on a table or other suitable support, the board 8 is placedin position between strips 2 3 and the strips 3 adj usted according to the size of envelopes to be tanned. A number of envelope-blanks, 10, are then arranged on the frame, as shown in Fig. l, the edges on one side of the blanks engaging the equally-spaced pins 5, as shown in dotted lines,with the blanks lying on the pins, thereby locating the blanks in fanned position with equal spaces for the borders. The board 8, which in practice is several feet in length, being covered from end to end with the blanks in fanned position, the spaces are brushed for black or colored border. The blanks are then lifted out from the pins when the borders are dry and arranged with their opposite edges held in fanned position by the pins, and the spaces are brushed and dried, as in the case with the other edges.

The two edges of the blanks having been bordered, the envelopes are made up and located in fanned position as `follows: Aboard, 9, is placed in the frame and the envelopes laid thereon, overlapping one another diagonally, with two corners located in notches 4., as shown in Fig. 3. The board 9, being covered from end to end with the envelopes, having two of their front edges located in fanned position, is lifted out of the frame and removed for bordering. Another board with another set of made-up envelopes is placed in the frame and their two front edges located in fanned position. The remaining frontedges of the former set are located in tanned position and removed and bordered, and the bordering of the envelopes is then complete. Cards are located in tanned position similarly to the made-up envelopes, and the removal and bordering carried on in the same manner ICO ' Patentl. In a frame for tanning envelopes, the combination, With the base-board 1, longitudinal side strips, 2, secured thereto, andthe notched strips 3, laterally adjustable upon the upper face of the side strips, 2, of the removable board 9, arranged between the side strips, f2, said board forming the support for the body The strips 3 of the envelopes being` formed, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

2. The hereinbefore-described improvement in frames forfanning envelopes, consisting of a base, l, provided lWith longitudinal side strips, 2, strips 3, laterally adjustable on the side strips, 2, said strips 3 provided with equally-spaced notches on their inner edges Aand equally-spaced pins on their Vupper faces,

and removable boards adapted to vbe placed between the side strips, 2, saidboards forniing supports vfor the body of the envelopes being operatedv on, substantially as and for the purpose described.

JAMES C. OLIVER. litnessesz S. HAGUE, E. M. OLIVER. 

